JUNIOR Organisers’
HANDBOOK
A comprehensive guide to running a successful JUNIOR SECTION
PAGE 2
JUNIOR GOLFERS
ARE CRUCIAL TO THE
FUTURE HEALTH
OF OUR SPORT.’‘
Contents
Foreword PAGE 3
Introduction PAGE 5
Section 1 The Junior Organiser PAGE 7
Section 2 The Junior Section PAGE 15
Section 3 Recruitment & Retention PAGE 23
Section 4 Membership & Cost PAGE 33
Section 5 Juniors within your Club PAGE 41
Section 6 Coaching & Activities PAGE 53
Section 7 Handicapping & Competitions PAGE 61
Section 8 Safeguarding & Equity PAGE 69
Section 9 National Initiatives & Resources PAGE 79
Forewordby Paul Casey, European Tour and PGA Tour Professional
GOLF IS ONE OF VERY FEW SPORTS WHICH CAN BE PLAYED BY PEOPLE OF ALL AGES AND ABILITIES,
PROVIDING PLAYERS WITH HEALTH BENEFITS, OPPORTUNITIES TO DEVELOP PERSONAL SKILLS AND
OF COURSE HAVE FUN.
England Golf actively supports the development of golf at both club and county level through a variety of resources, enabling young people toexperience the game and progress to whateverlevel they aspire. Through the Junior Organisers’Handbook, England Golf are able to assist andsupport golf clubs in strengthening their juniorstructures and developing junior golf at all levels.
Junior golfers are crucial to the future health ofour sport, as they will be the adult participantsand members who will continue to play this greatgame for many years to come. Investment injunior golf at club level is therefore essential toensure young people are recruited and retainedwithin the game in a welcoming and friendlyenvironment.
The England Golf Junior Organisers’ Handbookchallenges golf clubs to look at their existingpractices and make them more open andaccessible. The role of the Junior Organiser is not
an easy task and does require dedication and arange of skills, however with appropriate supportfrom within the golf club, the Junior Organiserand other helpers can feel highly rewarded forundertaking these important roles.
I am delighted to support England Golf’s Junior Organisers’ Handbook and also their development work within golf clubs and withcontinued dedication from all involved, even more boys and girls will have the opportunity to take part in this great sport and they will hopefully be the future champions in years to come.
JUNIOR Organisers’
HANDBOOKPAGE 3
Image: IMG
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PAGE 5
IntroductionENGLAND GOLF ARE COMMITTED TO DEVELOPING JUNIOR GOLF
WITHIN THE CLUB ENVIRONMENT AND THE JUNIOR ORGANISERS’
HANDBOOK HAS BEEN CREATED TO SUPPORT GOLF CLUBS IN
RUNNING A SUCCESSFUL AND THRIVING JUNIOR SECTION.
This Handbook helps to guide golf clubs on how to best encourage
and promote junior golf now and in the future and acts as a complete
reference guide for anyone involved with the junior section, detailing
ideas and best practice.
BY DEVELOPING AND SUPPORTING JUNIOR GOLF, CLUBS ARE ABLE TO:
u INVEST in their future and the game as a whole.
u CREATE healthy and sustainable junior structures which
will support the recruitment and retention of young
people (players and members).
u THRIVE on a healthy mix of members of all ages to
keep the golf club dynamic and forward thinking.
u ENCOURAGE the family use of their facility.
u DEVELOP not only better golfers, but also better people.
To give young golfers the best start in the game, golf clubs
need to be able to provide an environment where they can
develop their skills and provide encouragement to enable
them to progress to whatever level they aspire to.
THIS HANDBOOK CONTAINS NINE SECTIONS, PROVIDING INFORMATION ON ALL OF THE ABOVE, ALONG WITH CASE STUDIES, RECOMMENDATIONS
AND LINKS TO SUPPORTING RESOURCES. PLEASE NOTE, THIS RESOURCE IS A WORKING DOCUMENT AND WILL CHANGE TO REFLECT THE
EVOLUTION OF THE GAME AND THE NEEDS OF JUNIOR GOLF.
Junior handicapping
Appropriate funds to support
the section
Strong organisation
Planning & development
Rules & etiquette guidance
Volunteers & support from
the club
WHAT MAKES A HEALTHY
& SUCCESSFUL JUNIOR
SECTION?
Structured coaching
opportunities
Range ofcompetitive
opportunities for all abilities
Appropriate fees &
subscriptions
Appropriate safeguarding procedures
Recruitment & retention
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THE JUNIOR ORGANISER ACTS AS THE CATALYST FOR
THE SMOOTH RUNNING OF THE JUNIOR SECTION.’‘
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SECTION 1
The JUNIOROrganiser
QUALITIES OF A JUNIOR ORGANISER PAGE 8
TASKS PERFORMED BY THE JUNIOR ORGANISER PAGE 9
RECRUITING A JUNIOR ORGANISER PAGE 10
INSURANCE FOR JUNIOR ORGANISERS PAGE 10
CASE STUDY PAGE 11
SUMMARY PAGE 13
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THE JUNIOR ORGANISER ACTS AS THE CATALYST FOR THE
SMOOTH RUNNING OF THE JUNIOR SECTION AND ALTHOUGH
THEY MAY HAVE ASSISTANTS, THEY ARE THE ULTIMATE
CO-ORDINATOR OF THE ACTIVITIES AND ORGANISER OF
THE SECTION.
Junior Organisers are usually volunteers from within the club,
perhaps with children in the junior section and who have the
ability to communicate with young people and have a sense of fun.
The role can be time consuming and does require a committed
individual to support continuity, with good organisational skills and
support from all areas of the golf club; nevertheless it can also be
one of the most rewarding roles and without the dedication and
enthusiasm of Junior Organisers, the game of golf would not be
where it is today.
Question: DOES YOUR JUNIOR ORGANISER REGULARLY COMMUNICATE WITH ALL
SECTIONS OF THE GOLF CLUB TO PROMOTE THE SUCCESS OF THE JUNIOR SECTION?
Introduction
QUALITIES OF A JUNIOR ORGANISER
Knowledge of golf – handicapping,
rules etc
Good communicationskills – with bothjuniors and adults
Fun & enjoyment –ability to create an
enjoyable environmentfor the juniors
Ability todedicate time to the junior section
Awareness of national/county golf& other associated
bodies within the game
Goodadministration
skills
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THERE ARE A NUMBER OF TASKS THAT NEED TO BE UNDERTAKEN AND CO-ORDINATED TO ENSURE THE SMOOTH
RUNNING OF THE JUNIOR SECTION, BELOW ARE SOME EXAMPLES. A JUNIOR ORGANISER IS NOT EXPECTED TO
ACHIEVE ALL OF THESE, HOWEVER IT IS IMPORTANT TO HAVE A GOOD UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT THE ROLE
INVOLVES AND THIS ALSO HIGHLIGHTS TO THE GOLF CLUB WHAT SUPPORT IS REQUIRED TO RUN THE JUNIOR SECTION.
u Collating statistics and evidence on the junior section
to identify areas for development.
u Helping to produce, implement and maintain a
junior development plan.
u Working and communicating with the club secretary/
manager and appropriate committees to ensure the junior
section is seen as an integral part of the golf club.
u Supporting and implementing safeguarding policy
and procedures.
u Working with the club’s PGA Coach to co-ordinate a
structured coaching programme.
u Arranging competitions and coaching for junior members.
u Arranging matches against other golf clubs and/or other
sections (e.g. ladies).
u Supporting the retention of current junior members into
adult membership.
u Recruiting juniors through links with schools and the
local community.
u Co-ordinating coaching opportunities for non-members.
u Providing the juniors with regular updates/communications
via newsletters, information on the website and
other media.
u Communicating regularly with all individuals involved with
the junior section – volunteers, coaches, parents etc.
u Promoting the success of the junior section.
u Developing relationships with County Golf Partnerships
and county and regional development officers.
u Registering for county and national initiatives to support
the development of the junior section.
u Accessing external funding from appropriate organisations
to help develop the junior section.
u Liaising with county bodies to help identify talented
golfers.
u Keeping up to date with all information from England Golf.
Tasks performed by the Junior Organiser
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BELOW ARE BASIC DETAILS OF WHAT MIGHT BE INCLUDEDWITHIN A JOB DESCRIPTION:
u What the role consists of.
u Who the position reports to.
u The expected time requirements.
u Level of involvement with the juniors.
u Knowledge and training required.
u Support from the golf club, including volunteer expenses and training.
u Personnel the Junior Organiser will work alongside.
u Safeguarding requirements.
u The golf club’s current junior development plan should also be available to view.
Further support on recruiting volunteers can be viewed on the England Golf Partnership’s Golf Volunteers website www.golfvolunteers.org
Due to the important role of the Junior Organiser, it is essential that golf clubs recruit in a professional and structured way to ensure both
the individual and golf club understand the process and remit. The position should be advertised internally on golf club notice boards and
also externally on the club’s website to ensure a good range of individuals have access to the information.
It is important that Junior Organisers liaise with the golf club secretary or manager in order to find out if they are covered under the
golf club’s public liability insurance policy. This would ensure that cover is provided in the event of injury or damage to third parties
or third party property resulting from alleged negligence of the Junior Organiser.
In addition, the Junior Organiser should check their own insurance because they may be similarly covered under their
household insurance policy.
Recruiting a Junior Organiser
Insurance for Junior Organisers
Fact:
87% OF GOLF CLUBSHAVE A JUNIOR ORGANISER, 12% HAVEA SEPERATE JUNIORORGANISER FOR GIRLS.
Golf Club MembershipQuestionnaire – England Golf
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SOME YEARS AGO, AGAINST THE BACKDROP OF DECLINING GOLF CLUB
MEMBERSHIP IN ENGLAND, I DECIDED THAT WE NEEDED TO IMPROVE OUR
OVERALL JUNIOR OFFERING IN CONJUNCTION WITH RECRUITING ADULT
AND JUNIOR BEGINNERS INTO THE GAME. HOWEVER, HAVING
RESEARCHED THIS I BELIEVED THAT UNLESS WE HAD GOLFMARK
AND SOMEONE WITHIN THE COMMITTEE WITH THE DESIRE AND TIME
TO DRIVE THE JUNIOR SECTION THIS WOULD BE DIFFICULT TO ACHIEVE.
After meeting with another golf club that had used GolfMark to enhance their juniorsection, the need for the right person/volunteer became even more obvious and mydesire for Bramshaw to achieve GolfMark was reinforced.
We eventually recruited a new Junior Organiser, someone who could enhance theGolfMark accreditation process and improve the performance of the section. The new Junior Organiser and I had similar aspirations for the golf club as a whole and he now provides the vital link between the General Committee and myself from a business perspective.
Our new Junior Organiser quickly created a good development plan for the sectionand it rapidly changed from ‘going through the motions’ to a high energy and well organised group with a plan to raise the quality and quantity of what we deliver forjuniors.
Once the junior plan was incorporated within the golf club, we then developed a GolfMark accreditation plan and achieved the award in just a few months, which can be contributed to the planning, implementation control and energy of the Junior Organiser.
CONTINUED...
| CASE STUDY | BRAMSHAW GOLF CLUB, HAMPSHIRE
THE IMPORTANCE OF RECRUITING THE RIGHTJUNIOR ORGANISER
“As our junior development plancontinued, further significant improvements were made and withthe energy, drive, time and attentionto detail given, we achieved the 2011GolfMark Club of the Year Award.”
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| CASE STUDY | BRAMSHAW GOLF CLUB, HAMPSHIRE
BELOW ARE JUST A FEW OF THE ACHIEVEMENTS BRAMSHAW HAS EXPERIENCED TO DATE:
u Membership has doubled from 35 to 70 juniors.
u Junior golfing activity as measured by GolfMark has increased from 30% to 55%.
u The number of junior competitions per year is up from 15 to 50+, including short course (3 to 9 hole), all forms of golf (medal, stableford, scramble, matchplay, mixed junior/adult teams and junior/adult challenge matches with all other sections of the golf club).
u We now participate in inter-club matches and compete in 2 local leagues.
u 32 juniors are now receiving free coaching, funded by the Junior Development Fund, including skills challenges and individual development plans.
u Social activities are held including parent/junior Wii night and skittles.
u Well over £2,000 is raised annually specifically for the Junior Coaching Fund by charging £2.50 per member each time they play at one of our reciprocal partner clubs.
u We have gained about 10 new adult members (family of juniors involved at the club) as a result of our junior activity and “family friendly” atmosphere.
The Junior Organiser has the active and keen support of thejunior committee and has also developed the genuine respectof the parents and juniors for what he does, how he does itand his extensive commitment to the role.
Without the recruitment of a new Junior Organiser, who had time, desire and ability we would not have been able to achieve what we have at Bramshaw, highlighting the importance of recruiting the right individual with the right skills.
Ian BakerGeneral Manager
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Summary
The backing of the golf club is essential to ensure that they are aware of the requirements of the
Junior Organiser and the junior section.
The Junior Organiser is fundamental to the organisation and health of the junior section and requires
a range of qualities to support them in being effective in their role.
There are many individuals and organisations at county and national level that the Junior Organiser can
communicate and develop relationships with, who will be able to support the development of the junior
section and their role.
To ensure the smooth running of the junior section and to undertake the range of tasks involved,
the Junior Organiser requires assistance from other staff members and volunteers.
The Junior Organiser should enjoy working with young people and be able to communicate with
them and of course they must have a sense of fun!
Support is available for Junior Organisers in their role through the England Golf Development Officers.